Tag Archives: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Most of the incense scents out there have a habit of replicating the experience of being in church for many of us, but some of them have a habit of reproducing particular churches at particular times. Now, a disclaimer- for … Continue reading →

“Aunt Alicia slid the great square emerald onto her slender finger and was silent for a moment. “Do you see…that nearly blue fire which burns at the heart of the green light…only the most beautiful emeralds contain that miracle of … Continue reading →

Since there have been a dozen rose posts, this might a good time to take a breather, go back, and re-cap. For all the complaining that perfume consumers do about the industry these days, one thing is inescapably true: there’s … Continue reading →

What is the matter with Mary Jane? She’s perfectly well, and she hasn’t a pain, And it’s lovely rice pudding for dinner again! What is the matter with Mary Jane? A.A. Milne Some perfumers put a decidedly sweet spin on … Continue reading →

“When I consider every thing that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment;” Shakespeare on beauty, probably human beauty, since it seems to have been a frequent melancholy observation of his that it’s fleeting. However, the observation’s just as … Continue reading →

Among the many tasks I have passed off to perfume in the recent decades, one is undeniably odd: the reinforcer of sagging will power. It does sound peculiar and admittedly most people probably don’t associate perfume with effort but consider, … Continue reading →

Sometimes in smelling all sorts of things you stumble over a creation that is simply beautiful. In writing about holiday scents – which is a difficult thing to do because there’s a jumble of scents tumbling about houses during the … Continue reading →

“It’s an old lady perfume!” is the dreaded judgment frequently handed down by young and (youngish) reviewers. Generally this classification is given to chypres which the neophyte perfumistas seldom appreciate. It takes time to cotton to ingredients like oak moss, … Continue reading →

It has not escaped the attention of certain perfumers that a lot of the public likes the smell of dirt. We tend to like it instinctively, e.g. my daughter and her friends and our cellar, and often gravitate to “something … Continue reading →

Once upon a time, as a matter of fact quite some considerable time ago, Guts and I lived in Vermont. I almost said that we inhabited it because then the state actually contained more cows than humans then. As you … Continue reading →